Skydive Arizona

Betsy Barnhouse, Skydive Az

If life has become a little too ho-hum and predictable for your adventurous spirit, then maybe you should take a step in a new direction-out of a plane at 13,000 feet. Just don't forget your parachute!

The idea of a free-fall jump like this probably sounds a lot scarier than it is. In reality, you hardly feel the sensation of falling while skydiving because there is no point of reference in the sky to tell your brain that you are falling. It seems more like you're floating on a column of air. When your parachute opens, it feels as though you're being pulled upwards, but you're not. It's just the sensation of quickly deceleration. A toggle in each hand enables you to turn right and left. Most skydiving centers have radio receivers and speakers in your helmet, so your instructor can guide you in for a nice, soft landing.

Like any other "extreme" sport, skydiving has some very real risk and requirements. Accidents rarely result from equipment failure or bad luck. Thorough training and good judgment can effectively mitigate problems. Skydivers must meet a USPA (U.S. Parachuting Association) basic safety requirements for medical fitness. Most schools require all participants to be at least 18 years old.

Once you've successfully completed your ground training (first jump course), there are several options for your initial jump. Tandem jumping is the most popular and stress free jump. After a 30-minute briefing, you and your instructor (harnessed together) free fall from 13,000 feet for 45 to 60 seconds, followed by a four minute canopy ride to the ground. A static line jump  requires a four to five hours of ground training. Then, at an altitude of 3,000 feet, the student jumps and free falls for two to three seconds. During the first static line jump, the parachute is deployed by a static line attached to the aircraft. The accelerated free fall program requires more extensive training but allows for a 50-second free fall from 10,000+ feet with two AFF instructors who jump with student.

Skydive Arizona is the world's largest skydiving center and features a state-of-the-art vertical wind tunnel. Located in Eloy, Arizona , it has the staff, equipment, facilities, and, of course, the weather, to make your adventure take off. For more information, call 520-466-3753 or visit www.skydiveaz.com or www.dropzone.com.